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Meredith Marin’s path to becoming a vegan hospitality consultant is anything but ordinary. Growing up in Manhattan and Long Island, she was surrounded by a family of butchers who ran a Kosher supermarket. Early exposure to the realities of the meat industry shaped her perspective, even if she didn’t fully realize it at the time. Years later, her journey led her to Aruba, where she spearheaded efforts to transform the island into the most vegan-friendly destination in the Caribbean. Today, as CEO of Vegan Hospitality, Meredith oversees a global network of more than 100 consultants and has launched the world’s first vegan hotel certification program. We sat down with Meredith to talk about her journey, the challenges of introducing veganism to hospitality, and what’s next for her mission-driven work.
Where did you grow up, and how did your journey into veganism begin?
I grew up in New York City and Long Island, in a family of Kosher butchers. Food was central to our culture, but growing up around hanging cow carcasses in my grandfather’s butcher shop had a lasting impact. When I moved out at 18 and went to NYU, I started reflecting on ethics, spirituality, and food. A defining moment came when a friend shared a tragic story about witnessing a man die on the subway tracks. He was a deaf immigrant from Bangladesh, who was sending money home by working on the New York City subway lines. It sparked a deep sense of injustice in me and made me question my own contributions to unnecessary harm—like eating meat. The very next day, I went vegetarian. I later became vegan eight years ago after my daughter was born, connecting with the plight of dairy cows as a breastfeeding mother myself.
You earned a master’s in social work and started working in schools and underprivileged communities. How did that shape your understanding of food’s impact?
During my master’s program, I interned as a school social worker in the Bronx, and one of my tasks was supervising the lunchroom. I noticed how poor the quality of the food was—fries, chicken nuggets, and very few vegetables. It really struck me how this affected the children’s mood, behavior, and overall health. This inspired my research on school nutrition and culinary interventions, which laid the groundwork for my later work. After graduating, I worked with a hospital program focused on childhood obesity, teaching cooking demonstrations and healthy habits. Though it wasn’t explicitly vegan, it reinforced the connection between food and well-being.
What brought you to Aruba, and how did you end up helping the island become the most vegan-friendly in the Caribbean?
My husband is Aruban, so we moved there in 2016 to raise our daughter. Initially, I planned to be a stay-at-home mom, but ended up involved in teaching social work at the University of Aruba. At the same time, as a vegan in a place with little understanding of veganism, I faced challenges dining out. When we first moved, friends and family visited often—when you live on a Caribbean island, everyone wants to visit!! I found myself eating out a lot. I’d spend hours looking at menus and calling restaurants ahead of time to figure out what I could eat, and even then, it was often a disappointing experience. I was frequently served pasta marinara or meals that weren’t actually vegan, which left me frustrated.
In an effort to stay true to my values when dining out myself, I decided to try to educate the community. A turning point was a presentation I gave to Aruba’s restaurant association, highlighting how the world was shifting toward vegan dining and what the local industry was missing. Afterward, chefs and restaurant owners began asking for my help. It snowballed into consulting projects, and within two years, Aruba became known as the most vegan-friendly island in the Caribbean.
What challenges have you faced in introducing vegan concepts to chefs and hospitality businesses?
One challenge is overcoming misconceptions. Chefs often think vegan food is unappealing, bland, or less satisfying for customers. They also worry that offering vegan options will lead to more food waste because the dishes might not sell. Another hurdle is getting buy-in from the entire team, from ownership to kitchen staff. Owners may hesitate, thinking the demand for vegan options is too niche, while chefs can feel overwhelmed by the idea of learning new techniques or working with unfamiliar ingredients.
My social work background helps me navigate these challenges—I use motivational interviewing to uncover their concerns and find common ground. For example, chefs might express frustration about vegan guests being an inconvenience, and I explore that with them. Often, this frustration stems from operational gaps, like mislabeled menus or unfamiliarity with vegan cooking. By asking open-ended questions and building relationships, I help them see the benefits of making these changes.
I also take steps to demystify plant-based cooking for chefs, starting with simple substitutions. For example, we might replace chicken broth with vegetable broth or create sauces that are plant-based by default. Once the chefs see how straightforward these changes can be, they’re often much more willing to embrace the process.
How do you navigate introducing plant-forward concepts to businesses that might not prioritize sustainability or ethics?
It starts with understanding their goals. Are they looking to attract vegan guests, or are they trying to reduce their carbon footprint and align with sustainability mandates? Those are two very different strategies. For example, if a property wants to draw vegan customers, we might create separate vegan menus, highlight plant-based alternatives, and even market these options using the word "vegan." This helps establish a clear message and brings in new clientele who are actively seeking these options.
If their focus is on sustainability, we take a different approach. For these businesses, it’s often about seamlessly integrating plant-forward dishes into their main menu without alienating traditional customers. We might reimagine popular dishes by substituting high-impact ingredients like beef with lower-emission alternatives, such as mushrooms or legumes, without explicitly labeling them as vegan. This makes the change feel less intimidating for their traditional guests.
It’s all about meeting them where they are. I also emphasize the operational and cost benefits of plant-forward menus, like reduced waste and easier ingredient management. By showing them how these changes can enhance their bottom line while meeting customer expectations, I help them see that going plant-forward isn’t just a trend—it’s a smart business transition.
With veganism becoming more mainstream, what trends do you see shaping the future of food and beverage in hospitality?
Customization is one of the biggest trends I’ve seen recently. People no longer want to order directly from the menu—they’re asking for dishes to be prepared in custom ways, like without cheese, gluten-free, or dairy-free. This “off menu” trend has been escalating and has become one of the biggest challenges chefs face. To adapt, restaurants are starting to create more flexible, customizable menus, making it easier to cater to diverse dietary preferences and allergens.
Another trend is the rise of mushrooms as a key ingredient. They’re sustainable, local, and versatile, with a meaty texture that chefs love to work with. Mushrooms are not only economical but can also be grown locally or even on-site in some kitchens, reducing the carbon footprint of dishes.
Lastly, sustainability continues to drive change. Restaurants are reducing portion sizes, swapping out high-emission ingredients like beef, and introducing low-emission labels to help guests make more informed choices. These small changes collectively make a big impact and align with broader efforts toward plant-forward dining.
What’s next for you and Vegan Hospitality?
We just launched a vegan hotel certification program in April, focusing on boutique properties for now. It includes in-person and virtual audits, staff training, and strategic planning to improve the vegan guest experience. Consultants from our network, who have been trained as auditors, are already conducting audits worldwide. So far, we’ve certified about 10 boutique hotels, and we’re learning as we go.
One big change is that we’re transitioning the company into a nonprofit to scale the certification program globally. Larger hotel chains are often more receptive to working with nonprofit organizations for credible audits and training programs, which is essential to meeting their sustainability goals.
For example, one of our consultants in China recently began working with IHG after we noticed their commitment to making 30% of their menus plant-forward by 2025. We reached out to offer our help, and now she’s collaborating with IHG’s food and beverage leaders to develop a strategy that aligns with their sustainability mandate. It’s an exciting model that we hope to replicate with other major hotel groups.
Ultimately, our goal is to train thousands of hotels to embrace plant-based dining and make it a standard rather than a specialty. I’m excited to see how this evolves as more properties recognize the value of catering to vegan guests and aligning with global sustainability trends.
How can hotels and restaurants get in touch with you to start or enhance their vegan journey?
They can visit www.veganhospitality.com for more information about our consulting services and certification program. I’m also active on social media, so feel free to connect with me at vegan hospitality on instagram or message me directly on LinkedIn. I’m always excited to help businesses embrace plant-forward dining and make a positive impact!
